are there any tools, frameworks, templates, guides etc for developing dnn 7 modules?

dnn website says to use visual studio and the web application model - the most useless, lame, and effete bit of non-advice if ever there were any.

is there a dnn library to aid interacting with the platform, explanations on how to package and deploy, and, oh yes, develop platform compliant modules?

I believe that mvc 5 is supported - is that correct?